I may be a slight bit biased, but, YES, I think you should become a piano teacher in 2024! Becoming a piano teacher has been the best decision I have made in my career and I love it! Here are some reasons I think you will love it too.
Benefit #1: Pick Your Own Schedule
I just sent out my summer schedule to my students, vacations and all. If my daughter has an important day coming up, I work it into my teaching schedule for the month. I pick which days, which hours, and which weeks I want to teach.
If I want to increase my income, I can accept a new student. If I need more free time, I can drop a student. And if I just really need a day off, I can make that happen at the drop of a hat (provided I have a stable financial situation at the time).
Being your own boss is fantastic! I don’t think I could go back to a 9-5 situation. I love the freedom of making my own schedule.
Benefit #2: High Earning Potential
Not only can piano teachers set their own schedule, they also name their own prices!
Piano teachers can expect to earn between $60-$200 per hour depending on the lesson set-up. And as an independent piano teacher, the pricing structure is entirely up to you.
Private lessons come at a premium price and families expect to pay handsomely for a teacher’s one-on-one time. Group lessons are charged at a lower hourly rate than private lessons, but are much more scalable. And partner lessons are a great middle-ground for teachers looking to scale but not ready to teach a group just yet.
Check out How Much Should I Charge For Piano Lessons? for a more in-depth discussion on the topic.
Benefit #3: Low Overhead or Startup Costs
Name another rewarding career that you can start in your living room with your current set-up. Or that you can start with only one hour of your spare time per week. You really can’t beat it!
All you need to get started is:
- A keyboard or piano (this is the biggest one by far, but I’m assuming you have something you can get started with…doesn’t have to be fancy)
- An email address
- A very basic website
- A small investment of method books (usually $20-30 per student)
There are definitely other investments you can make up front if you’re serious about starting a business. (Check out What Does It Cost to Start a Piano Studio? for a more in-depth look at this topic.) But even with all of the business bells and whistles as a full-time studio owner, the overhead is extremely low compared to other businesses and start-ups!
Benefit #4: Scaleable, In-Demand Niche
In my corner of the globe, piano lessons are in very high demand. My waiting list is a mile long and even through COVID, I have never needed to look very far for new students to add to my roster. I’m guessing it’s probably the same in your neck of the woods.
Some metropolitan areas may have more competition, but if it’s like my city, there will always be families seeking a quality piano lesson experience for their children.
Most piano teachers start out teaching one-on-one lessons and I was no exception. But the great thing about an in-demand skill such as piano, is that it is easily scalable through group lessons. With group lessons and online learning, the sky is the limit to how valuable one hour of your time can become.
Benefit #5: Helping Young Musicians
And, duh, you’re changing the world! If you’re here, I’m guessing you, like me, sincerely believe that the world needs music. Kids need music. And we all know piano is the most coveted and versatile musical skill and will remain so for generations.
Why not replace your boring 9-5 with the ultimate rewarding career helping young people discover the magic of music?
Conclusion
The pros of becoming a piano teacher in 2024 are compelling and there are surely more than what I have listed here. However, it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t at least give you the opportunity to see the other side of the coin. Yes, there are some potential downsides to teaching piano and some reasons why I might discourage someone from pursuing piano teaching as a career. Check out Five Reasons Not to Become a Piano Teacher [from a Veteran Teacher] for my five caveats.
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